Cancer immunotherapy developer Immutep Ltd [ASX:IMM] share price is trading neutral at time of writing, holding steady after flip-flopping between earlier gains and losses.
A sign that perhaps investors are unsure what to make of the company’s latest operational update, despite managements best efforts to no doubt spin a positive angle.
Let’s talk details…
Trials on track, and data on the way
As we’ve talked about previously in Money Morning, Immutep is busy working on their ‘efti’ treatment solution. A novel protein that has shown promising potential to fight against certain cancers.
You can read up all about that in our past coverage, right here.
Right now though, the company is in the midst of working on not one, not two, but four clinical trials. Three of which are in or proceeding to Phase II and one of which is in Phase I.
Of these trials, the most pressing is perhaps the AIPAC trial. A test of efti’s potential to treat metastatic breast cancer.
And as management notes, the trial is on track to report its final overall survival (OS) data in the second half of this year. With roughly 72% of all patients in the trial at the endpoint of testing.
So shareholders should be eagerly awaiting the results of this critical investigation.
On top of that, the TACTI-002 trial looking into non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is also progressing. With Immutep still recruiting new patients for the Phase II Part A trial. As it stands, 54 enrolments out of a possible 110 have been filled.
Meanwhile, a concurrent trial for second-line NSCLC is also recruiting as well, under a Part B test. With 27 out of a possible 36 patients already receiving the first treatment.
As well as the likelihood of Immutep to present new data on TACTI-002 in early June, so keep an eye out for that as well.
Then there is TACTI-003, which is looking into efti’s potential to fight head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). With Immutep currently working on getting a Phase II trial up and running. All they need is approval from the necessary authorities and overseers.
And last but not least, there is INSIGHT-004. A phase I trial that will also report final data in early June as well. The fourth arm in long-standing collaborative effort between Immutep and Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Pfizer Inc, and Germany.
So, it’s clear as day that this company is gearing up for a big second half to 2021.
With plenty of opportunities for this stock to share a surprise breakthrough that could send its share price soaring…
What’s next for Immutep Share Price?
Looking ahead, this update has mapped out most of the big events ahead of this stock. Meaning investors should largely know when to expect any big developments.
So it’s simply a waiting game to find out whether they will be positive or negative.
For some shareholders, that will certainly be a tantalising prospect. For others, it could leave them fraught with anxiety.
After all, depending on how all these trials unfold, Immutep’s share price will react one way or the other.
And for that reason, it’s a stock that won’t suit every investor.
This is definitely one small-cap that is built for speculators. Which shouldn’t come as much of a surprise given the volatile history of this stock.
Granted, volatility is something that every investor needs to get accustomed to. Just maybe not the extreme kind that Immutep serves up…
But if you’re looking for ways to improve your handling of volatile stocks and markets, we can help.
Our resident trading expert, Murray Dawes, has put together a handy guide on how to help manage your investing risk. Check it out for yourself, for free, right here.
Regards,
Ryan Clarkson-Ledward,
For Money Morning
